American Culture
American culture is full of mixed messages and conflicting ideas. Society is far from perfect, especially when it has unrealistic expectations for its teenage girls. In pop culture, it is deemed inappropriate to display androgynous behavior, the ability to act freely without worrying if their behavior is feminine or masculine, once an individual has matured through the childhood years. Research has shown that androgynous people are in fact the most well adjusted adults (Pipher 18). According to Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia, a former number one New York Times Bestseller, during early adolescence girls are expected to sacrifice the parts of themselves that our culture considers masculine. Society forces these girls into their true and false selves, and it is society that causes girls to discard their true selves and acquire false selves. This idea of obtaining a false self is extremely dangerous. Girls are obligated to "be attractive, be a lady, be unselfish and of service, make relationships work and be competent without complaint" (Pipher 39). This is also the time that honesty is neglected for the ability to be nice and easy-going. Society recognizes and rewards honestly, but at the same time, w
They look like real life Barbie dolls. Within the hospital's walls, the girls can behave freely and act as their true selves, as long as they do not agree to conform to society's mold. The magazines focus on fashion, diet, exercise, and make-up. In order for Susanna to regain her entrance into society, she must abandon her true self and adopt the false self given to her by the hospital. , are the perfect illustration of a world centered on a woman's looks. It is very true that society has different expectations for men then for women, and it is also true that society forces women to act in certain manners that it deems appropriate in different times. They choose to diet rather then eat when they are really hungry. Both girls are fighting in order to hold onto who they are. Naturally they will conform to society's mold, as it is all they know to do. "Our freedom was severely restricted. These girls do not have a problem with who they are, but society doesn't agree with their true selves. She would, however, be expected to take on a false self in order to behave as a proper young lady, according to society's rules and values. Girls have to make choices everyday based on this unfair set of rules. It is important that women follow the so-called rules, but girls who take on false selves lose their real identities.
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Acceptance Essays
